The present invention relates to a packaging box for spark plugs which houses and holds a plurality of spark plugs. The present invention, more particularly, relates to a packaging box suitable for spark plugs that is displayed and sold in a suspended state in an automobile parts store etc.
Conventionally, a packaging box for spark plugs that is sold in an automobile parts store is configured in a manner as shown in FIG. 19. For example, the packaging box 100 includes a cover member 101 and a base plate member 103. The cover member 101 is made of plastics formed by die-molding a plurality of plug holding portions 105 so as to match to the shapes of a plurality of spark plugs 3, respectively. The base plate member 103 is made of paper at which a suspending hole 102 is formed. The cover member 101 is adhered to the base plate member 103 in a state that the plurality of spark plugs 3 are held by the plug holding portions 105. Then, the packaging box 100 is suspended on a hook of a sales display rack through the hole 102 when they are sold in an automobile parts store etc.
In recent years, in the industrial society, it has been grappled with the selection of materials which are small in environmental load in view of environmental protection. However, the aforesaid conventional packaging box for spark plugs are not suitable for the environmental protection since the cover member made of plastics is used. Thus, it is proposed to form the cover member by paper like the base plate member. However, even if the cover member is merely formed by paper, when the packaging box suspended on the sales display rack is erroneously fallen, there arises a problem that the spark plugs can not be protected sufficiently and so may be broken and further the breakage of the packaging box can not be prevented.
Accordingly, the invention has been made in view of the aforesaid problem of the prior art. It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging box for spark plugs which is suitable for such a sales style that the packaging boxes are displayed in suspended states in an automobile parts store etc. Namely, the packaging box according to the present invention is formed in view of the environmental protection and which has sufficient strength upon being fallen.
The above-mentioned object can be achieved by a packaging box for a spark plug, the spark plug including a center electrode, a terminal portion, a metallic shell having a large diameter portion at a center thereof and an engine engagement portion, an outer side electrode having one end coupled to the metallic shell, and an insulation member placed between the center electrode and the metallic shell for holding the center electrode at one end thereof and also holding the terminal portion at the other end thereof, the packaging box according to the present invention comprising:
an inner box body made of paper for holding the spark plug, the inner box body including a protection box portion that is configured by a front side protection wall, a rear side protection wall, a top side protection wall and a bottom side protection wall for protecting the outer side electrode and the engine engagement portion of the spark plug; and
an outer box body made of paper and having an inner box body housing space that is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape,
wherein the top side protection wall has a bendable tab that is bent into an inner side of the protection box portion, the bendable tab in its bent state forms an engine engagement portion insertion part capable of inserting therein the engine engagement portion of the spark plug, and
wherein a bent edge of the bendable tab in its bent state supports a lower surface of the large diameter portion when the engine engagement portion of the spark plug is inserted into the engine engagement portion insertion part.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the bendable tab is defined by a cut line that comprises:
an arc cut line formed along an outer periphery of the engine engagement portion insertion hole,
a split cut line for dividing a surface area corresponding to the engine engagement portion insertion hole into two areas, and
an auxiliary cut line extending from the arc cut line toward the bent edge of the top side protection wall.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that a width of the bottom side protection wall in a front-rear direction of the inner box body is determined in accordance with a width of the inner box body housing space in a front-rear direction of the outer box body.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that one of the front side protection wall and the rear side protection wall has a projection piece which extended beyond a bending line relative to the bottom side protection wall and extended in flush with the one of the walls.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous to further comprises:
a reinforcement plate made of paper and having an insertion slit formed by cutting an arc area having a diameter smaller than that of the engine engagement portion insertion part, wherein the reinforcement plate has a portion inserted between the large diameter portion of the spark plug and the top side protection wall of the protection box portion.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the reinforcement plate comprises:
a horizontal reinforcement part in which the insertion slit is formed; and
a vertical reinforcement plate extending downward from one side edge of the horizontal reinforcement plate.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that a paper fiber direction of the reinforcement plate intersects a paper fiber direction of the inner box body by a predetermined angle.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the inner box body further comprises:
a main body wall extending upward from the protection box portion; and
a terminal holding portion connected to the main body wall and having a terminal portion insertion hole that is capable of inserting therein and holding the terminal portion of the spark plug.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the terminal holding portion comprises:
a slanted holding wall extending in a slanted upward direction from an upper end edge of the main body wall and having a free end edge that engages with a corner portion of the inner box body housing space of the outer box body in a state that the inner box body is housed in the outer box body, and
wherein the main body wall is brought in surface-contact with a wall of the outer box body that defines a part of the inner box body housing space.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the terminal holding portion comprises:
an auxiliary wall extending in a direction normal to the main body wall from an end edge of the main body wall; and
a slanted wall extending in a slanted downward direction from an end edge of the auxiliary wall and having the terminal portion insertion hole,
wherein the terminal holding portion is configured in a box shape that is defined by the main body wall, the auxiliary wall, and the slanted wall.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the terminal holding portion comprises:
a cut line extending along an outer periphery of the terminal portion insertion hole, and
a pressing tab which is bent in insertion direction and made in contact with pressure to the terminal portion of the spark plug when the terminal portion of the spark plug is inserted into the terminal portion insertion hole.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the terminal portion of the spark plug has a screw portion, and the packaging box further comprises:
a screw terminal holding plate made of paper and having a terminal holding portion for holding the screw portion.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the top side protection wall further comprises:
an insulation member insertion part which is capable of inserting therein the insulation member of the spark plug and disposed in adjacent to the engine engagement portion insertion part, to thereby hold the adjacent two spark plugs so as to be directed to opposite directions to each other.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the inner box body is provided with a flap wall which overlaps on a housing surface of the outer box body in a state that the inner box body is housed at the inner box body housing space within the outer box body.
In the packaging box, it is advantageous that the inner box body housing space of the outer box body is constituted by:
upper side inner box protection wall;
lower side inner box protection wall;
right side inner box protection wall;
left side inner box protection wall;
front side inner box protection wall; and
rear side inner box protection wall;
wherein the outer box body further comprises:
a main wall overlapping with the upper portion of the rear side inner box protection wall, and
suspension holes aligned each other and formed on the main wall and the upper portion of the rear side inner box protection wall respectively in the overlapped state thereof.
Moreover, the above-mentioned object can also be achieved by a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention that is arranged in a manner that the packaging box for a spark plug including an inner box body made of paper for holding a spark plug having an insulation member which is held by a metallic shell made of metal provided with a large diameter portion at an almost center portion thereof, and an outer box body of a rectangular parallelepiped shape made of paper which has an inner box body housing space, the inner box body is characterized in that
the inner box body is bent to form a protection box portion configured by protection walls which protects an outer side electrode forming a discharge gap between a center electrode held at one end side of the insulation member of the spark plug and the outer side electrode and protects an engine engagement portion formed at the outer side electrode side from a large diameter portion of the metallic shell,
at the upper side protection wall at which the large diameter portion of the metallic shell of the spark plug engages, an engine engagement portion insertion hole capable of inserting therein the engine engagement portion of the spark plug is formed, and a bent edge of a bent tab which is bent at inner side of the protection box portion by a cut line extending to the front side protection wall and the rear side protection wall continuing to both ends of the upper side protection wall is formed, and
when the engine engagement portion of the spark plug is inserted into the engine engagement portion insertion hole, the gent edge supports a lower surface of the large diameter portion of the metallic shell of the spark plug.
Thus, according to the above-mentioned construction, the engine engagement portion and the outer side electrode of the spark plug are protected by the protection box portion. Further, the large diameter portion of the metallic shell of the spark plug is placed on and supported by the surface area of the upper side protection wall including the bent edge of the bent tab. Furthermore, since all of the packaging box is formed by paper, the packaging box is hardly opened when being displayed at a shop for sales and so protected against theft.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the cut line is formed by an arc cut line formed along an outer periphery of the engine engagement portion insertion hole, a split cut line for dividing a surface area corresponding to the engine engagement portion insertion hole into two areas, and an auxiliary cut line extending from the arc cut line toward the bent edge of the upper side protection wall. Thus, according to the invention, a pair of the bent tabs are formed by inserting the engine engagement portion of the spark plug into the engine engagement portion insertion hole.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the protection wall between the front side protection wall and the rear side protection wall of the protection box portion is set to have a longitudinal width corresponding to a housing width of the outer box body. Thus, according to the invention, the lower side protection wall of the protection box portion is suitably fixedly held by the outer box body, so that the protection box portion does not wobble in the longitudinal direction and further supports the outer box body thereby to reinforce it.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that a projection piece is provided at one of the bend edges of the lower side protection wall formed so as to continue at a side opposite to the upper side protection wall between the front side protection wall and the rear side protection wall of the protection box portion, and other of the bend edges of the lower side protection wall and the projection piece abut against a housing surface of the outer box body in a state that the inner box body is housed in the inner box body housing space of the outer box body. Thus, according to the invention, the inner box body is housed within the outer box body in a state that other of the bend edges of the lower side protection wall and the projection piece abut against the housing surface of the outer box body, so that the upper side protection wall is held in a horizontal state and the breakage of the inner box body due to shock upon falling can be prevented by the provision of the projection piece. Further, since the lower side protection wall is configured in a braced shape, the lower side protection wall serves to reinforce the intensity.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that a reinforcement plate made of paper is provided which is opened at one end and having an insertion slit formed by cutting an arc area having a diameter smaller than that of the engine engagement portion insertion hole, and the reinforcement plate is inserted between the large diameter portion of the spark plug and the upper side protection wall of the protection box portion. Thus, according to the invention, the supporting of the spark plug is reinforced by the reinforcement plate.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the reinforcement plate is configured by a horizontal reinforcement plate in which the insertion slit is formed and a vertical reinforcement plate extending downward from one side edge of the horizontal reinforcement plate opposing to the opening of the insertion slit. Thus, according to the invention, the supporting of the spark plug is reinforced by the horizontal reinforcement plate and the a vertical reinforcement plate.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the reinforcement plate and the inner box body are configured in a manner that paper fiber directions thereof are perpendicular to each other. Thus, according to the invention, since the paper fiber directions of the reinforcement plate and the inner box body are perpendicular to each other, the reinforcement effect can be attained.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the inner box body is provided with a main body wall extending upward from the protection box portion and a terminal holding portion continuing from the main body wall, and the terminal holding portion is provided with a terminal portion insertion hole capable of inserting therein and holding a terminal portion protruding from other end side of the insulation member of the spark plug. Thus, according to the invention, the terminal portion of the spark plug is held by the terminal holding portion.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the terminal holding portion is configured by a slanted holding wall extending in a slanted upward direction from upper end edge of the main body wall, and the main body wall overlaps on a housing space of the outer box body and a free end edge of the slanted holding wall engages with a housing corner portion of the outer box body in a state that the inner box body is housed in the outer box body. Thus, according to the invention, the free end edge of the slanted holding wall engages with the housing corner portion in a braced shape manner in a state that the inner box body is housed in the outer box body.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the terminal holding portion is configured in a box shape by being bent so as to be formed by an auxiliary wall extending vertically with respect to the main body wall from an end edge of the main body wall and a slanted wall which extends in a slanted downward direction from an end edge of the auxiliary wall and provided with the terminal portion insertion hole. Thus, according to the invention, the terminal portion of the spark plug is held by the box-shaped terminal holding portion.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the terminal holding portion is provided with a cut line along an outer periphery of the terminal portion insertion hole, and the terminal holding portion is further provided with a pressing tab which is bent in insertion direction and made in contact with pressure to a terminal portion of the spark plug when the terminal portion of the spark plug is inserted into the terminal portion insertion hole. Thus, according to the invention, the terminal portion of the spark plug is supported with pressure by the pressing tab.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that a screw terminal holding plate made of paper is provided in which a screw terminal holding potion for holding a screw terminal configured by a screw of the spark plug is formed. Thus, according to the invention, the spark plug can be held even by the screw terminal. In the invention, when the screw terminal holding plate is disposed between the screw terminal of the spark plug and the terminal portion holding portion, the workability of fabricating the packaging boxes can be improved. Further, when the screw terminal holding plate is set so as to have a width almost same as the terminal holding portion and not to abut against the outer box body, the outer box body can be prevented from being damaged upon falling.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the upper side protection wall of the protection box portion is provided in adjacent to the engine engagement portion insertion hole with an insulation member insertion hole in which the insulation member of the spark plug is inserted, the inner box body is formed by a pair of the protection box portions, and the engine engagement portion of the one spark plug is inserted into the engine engagement portion insertion hole of one of the pair of the protection box portions and the insulation member of the one spark plug is inserted into the insulation member insertion hole of other of the pair of the protection box portions to thereby hold the adjacent two spark plugs so as to be directed to opposite direction to each other within the inner box body. Thus, according to the invention, the adjacent two spark plugs are held so as to be directed to opposite direction to each other by the pair of protection box portions, so that the housing volume can be reduced.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the inner box body is provided with a flap wall which overlaps on a housing surface of the outer box body in a state that the inner box body is housed at the inner box body housing space within the outer box body. Thus, according to the invention, the spark plug can be protected by the slap wall and the outer box body is prevented from being damaged by the abutment of the spark plug. In the invention, when the inner box body is formed by cardboard material, the thickness of the cardboard material and the structural feature of the cardboard material of being likely smashed in the thickness direction serve to absorb the impact applied to the packaging box, the engine engagement portion and the gap can be protected effectively. Further, in the invention, although the packaging box likely wobbles and the tolerance of size is large since it is made of paper, the inner box body and the outer box body can be fixed surely when the inner box body and the outer box body are adhered to each other.
Further, a packaging box for spark plugs according to the invention may be arranged in a manner that the outer box body is configured by upper, lower, left, right, front and rear side inner box protection walls forming the inner box body housing space and a main wall which continues to a rear side edge of the upper side inner box protection wall and extends upward, an elevational width of the rear side inner box protection wall is set in a manner that a upper portion of the rear side inner box protection wall and the main wall overlap to each other, and the main wall and the rear side inner box protection wall are respectively provided with suspension holes which continue in a state that the main wall and the rear side inner box protection wall are overlapped. Thus, according to the invention, the inner box body is protected by the outer box body and the packaging box is suspended by using the suspension holes. Further, since the periphery of the suspension hole is configured as a dual structure of the rear side inner box protection wall and the main wall, the intensity of the packaging box is enhanced. In the invention, when the outer box body is configured by the paper member one end of which is subjected to the coating processing, the outer box body has good appearance and the intensity of the adhered surfaces is high. Further, in the invention, a view window capable of recognizing the presence of the spark plugs may be formed at the inner box protection wall in a state that the inner box body holding the spark plug is housed within the inner box body housing space.